One of the most interesting Hull towages from Grand Harbour, Malta was of the 112 metre passenger ship YARD 910 known as KAY towed by the Italian tug FALISCA.
She was built in Poland by Kommuny Paryskeij at Gdynia as Yard No B961/05. She was launched on 11th November 1989 and completed during April 1990 as VLADIMIR CHIVILIKHIN , a ferry for Russia with 90 metres long and 17.6metres wide with single screw for Vladivostokskaya Baza Tralovogo i Refrizheratovnogo Flota, Vladivostok. She was in service until 1998. Renamed KAY she headed to a Singapore for a conversion at the Keppel Shipyard to a design by Robert McFarlane. This was however cancelled though she was lengthened to 122 metres and a new superstructure was build. However, before the interior was completed, the conversion was put on hold for unknown reasons and on 3rd November 2007 KAY arrived towed by the tug SUMATRAS to Vranjic near Split where she was laid up for more than three years. On the 22nd March 2011 she was drydocked at the Brodotrogir shipyard in Trogir.
On 10th December 2013 she arrived at Grand Harbour, Malta with Tug Malta tugs LIENI and ST. ELMO assisting and there were rumours that she was awaiting her turn for yacht conversion. During her time in Malta her conversion was stalled and tradewinds (The Global Shipping News Source) reported that she was arrested in Malta seized by shipbuilder in $43.4m legal fight – https://www.tradewindsnews.com/offshore/kay-arrested-at-malta-yard-amid-conversion/1-1-381372
On 7th March 2016 she was shifted to Boiler Wharf with her name changed as YARD 910.
Then on Friday 18th March 2016 she was towed out from Grand Harbour, Malta to Trieste, Italy in the Adriatic Sea.
She was towed by the Italian Trapani based 2011 built tug FALISCA.
And till July 2017 YARD 910 was still spotted at the old San Marco Shipyard, Trieste.
Watermarked Photos are by Capt. Lawrence Dalli otherwise stated. NO PHOTOS can be used or manipulated without our permission. © All rights reserved. Malta Ship Photos & Action Photos – www.maltashipphotos.com
Published – Friday 25th June, 2021.
